Tim Fischer to become Vatican ambassador

By Melissa Jenkins and Danny Rose

The Rudd government has made its first political appointment to a newly-created diplomatic post at the Vatican, but defied convention by naming a former opponent.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd told the Pope's farewell in Sydney on Monday that former deputy prime minister Tim Fischer would become the nation's first resident ambassador to the Holy See.

The ex-Nationals leader, who is a practising Catholic, will become envoy to the world's smallest nation - the Vatican has a population of 800 - in a role previously performed by the ambassador to Ireland.

Mr Fischer, will be the second former senior coalition minister in a diplomatic job in Rome along with ambassador to Italy Amanda Vanstone.

Mr Rudd introduced the self-confessed "less-than-perfect" Catholic to Pope Benedict XVI during the farewell ceremony at Sydney airport following World Youth Day events.

Mr Fischer quit the Howard government's cabinet in 1999 for family reasons and retired from politics in 2001.

He admitted initially feeling unable to take on the three-year post but accepted the offer five days ago.

He said he believed much could be achieved in the posting, which begins next January.

"It is a big task. It involves a massive dialogue with the nation state of the Holy See," Mr Fischer said.

"The Vatican also has a worldwide network, diplomatic and direct, of excellence, of which Australia will now have a permanent representative to interface with."

Career diplomat Anne Plunkett is currently ambassador to the Holy See, based in Dublin.

Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said it was the right time to appoint a resident ambassador to the Vatican.

"The prime minister and I came to the conclusion in the run-up to World Youth Day that having established diplomatic relations (with the Vatican) in 1973, that given there are another 69 countries that have another ambassador in residence ... that it was appropriate that we become the 70th," Mr Smith told reporters.

He said the Vatican did not accept the ambassador to Italy as an envoy to the Vatican.

"Our ambassador in Rome has plenty to do with our Italian relations. We came to the conclusion that it was appropriate at this point in the cycle to have a fully-fledged ambassador in residence."

"(It) has significant interests and significant influence and size is not often the best qualitative judge of the influence that a particular state ... or interest might bring to bear," Mr Smith said.

A spokeswoman for Mr Rudd said costs associated with Mr Fischer's appointment were yet to be determined.

"Costs are still be finalised. They will include remuneration for the new ambassador and the normal costs associated with setting up a new residence and an expanded office," she said.